


The Final Burn

by squidgie



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-26
Updated: 2012-03-26
Packaged: 2017-11-02 13:55:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 598
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/369721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/squidgie/pseuds/squidgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My personal take on Owen's time in the nuclear reactor control room, and Owen's eventual death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Final Burn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SamuelJames](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelJames/gifts).



> [scripps](http://scripps.livejournal.com)
> 
> left a prompt in [ comment-fic ](http://comment-fic.livejournal.com)on LJ saying, "Torchwood, Owen, there have been times when he's just wanted to end it all." I took this in a different direction; I wrote how I thought Owen's death would happen - on _his_ terms - within the nuclear reactor.

Sitting in the locked control room, Owen contemplates his life - or rather, what his life had become. After getting shot by "that right bastard Copley" (as Owen oft repeated to any Torchwood member within earshot), he was truly no longer alive. Rather, he was, for all intents and purposes, dead - his only claim to fame upon his death was becoming King of the Weevils, which pissed him off to no end.

"And now Tosh is gone..." he says to the empty control room.

The rage that built within him at Tosh's death, and at his own farcical "life" is monumental. And while he knows the temperature of the room is growing and the radiation level is climbing exponentially, it's nothing compared to his pent-up anger. Chairs, tables, telephones - nothing is spared, as he screams in anger - anger at what Gray had done to his team, his family; anger at Copley for shooting him; anger at Jack for bringing him back as this...this _inhumane_ thing; and anger at being locked into a nuclear reactor sprinting towards meltdown. The sound of metal and plastics and wooden beams are all drowned out by Owen's primeval scream as he's throwing equipment against concrete walls and kicking the control panels of the nuclear reactor with enough force to shatter most of the bones in his right foot.

He pauses only when he sees the destruction at the end of his right leg, putting his fists down on a table and dropping his head, not even allowed the satisfaction of an adrenaline rush through his deadened veins. He looks around, eyes settling on a heavy fire extinguisher, then on the heavy metal door that leads directly to the reactor.

+++++

A camera in the back corner of the Turnmill Nuclear Reactor control room blinks into existence, Ianto having hacked into the system once he was able. As the image on the screen focuses, Ianto sees Owen ramming a large, cylindrical object into a door - a door Ianto knows heads to the reactor, not to safety. He keys a microphone, feeding through the PA in the control room. " _Owen_!" he calls. "Owen, _stop_! We can get you out."

Owen pauses for a beat, then turns his attention back to the door, pounding it unmercifully. 

"Owen, _please_..." Ianto says, his voice hitching ever so slightly at the request.

A few more thrusts with the fire extinguisher and the inner door to the reactor swings open. Ianto watches as Owen just stands there, bracing himself against the new heat speeding into the room with such force that it nearly tumbles him.

Owen waits for a second, dropping the fire extinguisher to the ground. He walks up to the camera and Ianto finally sees into Owen's eyes, a haunting darkness consuming them. Owen mouths to the camera, "Tell everyone - tell them I'm free," and finishes his message with a wink. He turns his back to the camera and walks off towards the newly opened door.

+++++

Owen Harper never much considered that he would ever welcome death, but now that it was finally near, he smiles. Reaching the door, he turns back towards the camera feeding a monitor back at Torchwood and closes his eyes slowly, offering those watching him the most minuscule of a bow. He shuts the heavy door behind him as best as it will shut, then goes to the middle of the room to lay down among the fuel rods. Settling within the circle, he smiles again, struggles for only a second as the radiation burns through his body, then shuts his eyes for good.


End file.
